MCAS IWAKUNI - FRIENDSHIP DAY 2018
Yamaguchi
5th of May.
Leaving our hotel in the early morning we had a short drive towards Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni for the Iwakuni Friendship Day 2018.
Before 6:30 we arrived at the gate and already a big crowd was waiting in the streets.
The weather was perfect with a lot of sun.
Throughout the day approximately 215,000 people would visit this Friendship Day....
This years joined open house Iwakuni Friendship Day marked his 42th anniversary.
(4th edition in cooperation with JMDSF)
Because we entered a US base security was very tight.
Foreigners needed to follow a separate route different from the Japanese people.
Finger prints and iris scanning taken by Marines and NCIS was part of the check in.
After a quick check of our photo bags we entered this huge base.
We probably walked more than 5 km's to reach the flight line and in between we watched a magnificent static display.
From a US Navy F/A-18 static (Carrier Air Wing Five) which we couldn't enter, we walked towards a static with more US aircrafts and a final part with only Japanese aircrafts.
This Friendship Day is not really an airshow. Static is much better but with a lot of people around the aircrafts it's difficult to make nice pictures. Or you have to wait until the evening when everyone goes home.
Like mentioned before, the flying part was not huge.
From the US we noticed demo's from Pacific PACAF F-16 (based at Misawa Air Base) / MV-22 Osprey / F-35B and a Marines demo including F-35B (2x) / MV-22 / KC-130J and F/A-18D.
Also the US Army Golden Knights showed their skills at the beginning of the show.
Japanese demo's included : F-2 from Tsuiki, Whisky Papa Competition Aerobatic Team, Team Yoshi Moraya and a UH-1J Huey (JGSDF).
It's impossible to include all pictures from the static display.
Below you will find an impression/summary concerning the airshow and 2x static including aircrafts from Japan and US.
It was a very nice day with a special atmosphere and good company.
At 15:45 the Marines started to clean the airfield from visitors.
1. Iwakuni Friendship Day 2018 - AIRSHOW :
2. Iwakuni Friendship Day 2018 - US STATIC :
3. Iwakuni Friendship Day 2018 - JAPAN STATIC :
